In Memory

Suzanne Williams (Stanley) VIEW PROFILE

A precious life has been lost. Suzanne Williams Stanley (“Grandma Suz”), age 66, of Billings, MT, passed away on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010.

Suzanne was born on Oct. 11, 1943, in Raleigh, N.C., to Creighton and Sue Williams. She graduated from Needham B. Broughton High School in 1961 and spent three years at N.C. State studying applied math before leaving school to marry Kenneth Stanley on Aug. 3, 1968. They lived in Newport News, Va., and then Lynchburg, Va., until they decided to make the move to southern California in 1979.

They lived in Orange, Calif., until 1985 and then spent 15 years in Thousand Oaks, Calif., where they finished raising their family. Suzanne was a stay-at-home mom during many of these years and very involved in her children’s school activities. She was an active band booster parent and attended countless music events for all three of her kids.

Suzanne eventually returned to school at Moorpark College, earning her associate of arts degree in 1987 and her associate of science degree in computer information systems in 1989. In her 50s, Suzanne decided to study martial arts and attended Woodard’s Todai Dojo to train in the art of ninjitsu. She attained her black belt at the age of 58 and it was one of the proudest moments of her life.

After leaving California in 2002, she lived in Las Vegas for 15 months before moving to Charlotte, N.C., to renew her family relationships on the East Coast. In 2008, she moved to Gilbert, Ariz., to be near her daughter Lisa and grandson Alton before settling in Billings in May of 2009 to be near her daughter Nicole, grandson Gavin and son-in-law Travis and his family. The time in Billings was the happiest of her life, being the best grandma ever to grandsons Gavin and Alton, and fixing up her town home “mansion” to be exactly the way she wanted it.

Suzanne was preceded in death by her father, Creighton Williams; her mother, Sue Williams; and her grandmother, Inez Pearce. She is survived by her husband, Kenneth; children: son Michael Stanley and his wife Jennifer of North Hollywood; daughter Nicole Cook and her husband Travis of Billings; and daughter Lisa Stanley of Gilbert; two grandsons, Gavin Cook of Billings and Alton McKillop of Gilbert; and brother Kent Williams of Baltimore. Her aunt, Marjorie Pearce of Raleigh, N.C., and her uncle Marshall of Wilmington, N.C., also survive her.

The service will be held at the Smith West Chapel, at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 11. There will be a viewing on Wednesday evening and again on Thursday morning up until the time of the service.





Click here to see Suzanne's last Profile entry.